Hey, what's going on? My name's Aaron. Throughout my life, I try to take everything on the lighter, more humorous side, not saying that I'd like to take the cup for being half full; I prefer being a realist. I only have 250ml of water in that 500ml cup. However, what's the fun in drinking that water if you don't mix some syrup in it, or spit it at some asshole.
I'm not gonna beat around the bush and make this sound weirder than it already sounds. If I forwarded this to you, then you already know, that I'm interested in you. And if you weren't linked to this by me, then I want you to know, that I am, sociable, accepting, and simply, just looking for company to explore all there might be to life.
I attended school in Kranji primary, went to Swiss Cottage Secondary and then to Anderson Junior College. That's for the budding years of my life, where I've been relatively sheltered and confined to a half of Singapore. I could tell you, that I (like all boys) wanted to be an astronaut when I was young. Then somewhere along my coming of age, I wanted to be some cool scientist, and then a president. I could tell you, that with all those childhood aspirations aside, I am now, aiming to be a doctor, specifically a diagnostician, with a MD rank. Something like that, but basically nothing I couldn't tell you if you choose to go on a first date with me.
I could also guess that you are probably independent, bubbly, open, attractive and just probably interesting. Nothing that I could say that would make me sound like a douche that reuses the same pickup line again and again, but this is after all, a generalized letter, on the internet. But if I wanted you to read this post, then you are definitely an interesting person whom I want to meet and get to know.
Newton's flaming laser sword is a philosophical razor with the principle that says that what cannot be proven by experiment is not worth debating whether true or not. If you are as wonderful as you are for me to send you this letter then I don't want us to simply speculate if we were as cool as we think each other to be. Let's try for sure, it could be fun, what's there to lose?
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Sunday, February 1, 2015
New year, New Resolutions
Some strive to improve themselves through a series of self-inflicted challenges. Some believe that they were conjured to fulfill a certain enigmatic purpose of life. Whereas some simply struggle between the constant battle of life and death so barely that they simply resent the very "gift" of life. But you, the one reading this, you don't relate to this, you've barely seen death outside your science fiction marvel movies. (Fine, who am I to judge, your life is so tough with your overbearing parents not giving you enough freedom and instead confining you to your dreadful room fully equipped with a laptop and functioning air condition. Arrest me.)
What I'm trying to say, is that at some point of your budding (or ending) life, surely being literate has gifted you with enough of a self-consciousness to question your existence... (Of course, I'm not saying that you have to be able to count to 10 to achieve a greater degree of self-awareness; satori has been achieved by many unlearned individuals.) And with that questioning, comes a realization; a realization that perhaps compels you to find a purpose in life that appeals to you.
On the other hand, if you actually haven't questioned your life in such a way before (these things come as some sort of an epiphany anyway, and many a times while you are drunk), or you are some self-righteous nihilistic person. Let me appeal to you that though it may seem straight-forward and justified to simply conclude that we, humans, are simply miraculous wonders of chemistry that exist because there was an infinite number of trial and errors in the primordial soup that resulted in us. It is a fact, that these millions of centuries of trial and error has given us an overly-evolved brain; one that requires extensive stimulation and purpose to be something other than a brain dead individual.
That being said, finding a purpose in life in such a short span of time, especially if you are my age would not only be doubtful but highly likely to be ill-conceived. Cross that out. Focus on the other part instead: Stimulation (and something other than endless debauchery). The engagement of ones mind such that every connection, every neural pathway is engaged and strengthened... But how does one achieve constant stimulation that reaches even the most shrouded and obscure reaches of our minds?
Well, in my opinion, leading a purposeful way of life seems like a good start. That, though, is not to be confused with a life of extreme-altruism as some may falsely assume, you're not Oliver Queen or some humanoid Arceus. Such "purpose" varies between individuals, it speaks to you, representing you, your passions, and in my opinion, who you would want to be if you had a limitless amount of energy everyday.
Let's say your passion lies in music, very well, then go for it, take every step you feel is required such that 5; 10 years down the road, you'd have achieved what you wanted your life to be. Confucius once said, "Make the most of everyday" (He didn't say that, but I'm sure there a Chinese saying that means that). The problem with such a dynamic lifestyle however, is its sustainability. Like what they say, "Its hard to score a goal when you can't even see the post." (Or, something like that, I'm sure there's some Chinese saying that means that.) It's easy to lose focus; to fall into the spiral of a passive lifestyle where your neural pathways go limp and zombified.
Recently... Okay, not so recently, a realization hit me while I was doing nothing in life. I am in that spiral. Though not in that stereotypical highly repetitive lifestyle where one does the same thing everyday, every week for me is generally the same. Serve the nation, rush for bookout, spend the weekend comforting myself, rinse and repeat. Slowly my neural network diminishes, situational awareness drops, cognitive ability fails, attention span truncated and self-control, virtually non-existent. And if you think I may be over-dramatizing things, just note that I've been writing this post over a span of 10 weeks.
I want to become a doctor. I want to learn to drive. I want to master the guitar. I want to buy a house, before I hit 25. But all my will and drive to accomplish such things, are simply thwarted by my lack of self-control, my pity for thyself and all in all my superior procrastination skills. Well actually, now that I think of it, add in the illusion that everything will be better than what my cognitive mind expects.
Break the cycle. I have exactly 2 months until I finish ATEC, and a month after that when I finish my last overseas trip that marks the end of my busy period in NS. That, would be my dateline. The dateline where I start taking steps toward my goals and away from the self-rendered stand-still where I was ever since NS started. I'm a big boy now, and what I'm doing right now, is not sustainable for the future. The spiral is gonna consume me, destroy me, engulf me in nothing but sorrow till the end of all days. (Yes, that is a little over-dramatizing. But if I may, play End of All Days by 30 Seconds to Mars right now and read that again...I know, right.) So, with all the bullshit being said, here goes my resolution, that the last 8 months of NS would be nothing but strong determination to fulfill my goals and claw my way out of this spiral.
And should I decide to let this comfortable stale ground suck me in instead; God find me the Ark of Covenant for the pace of this vast dog-eat-dog world, I heard, is nothing but unforgiving.
On the other hand, if you actually haven't questioned your life in such a way before (these things come as some sort of an epiphany anyway, and many a times while you are drunk), or you are some self-righteous nihilistic person. Let me appeal to you that though it may seem straight-forward and justified to simply conclude that we, humans, are simply miraculous wonders of chemistry that exist because there was an infinite number of trial and errors in the primordial soup that resulted in us. It is a fact, that these millions of centuries of trial and error has given us an overly-evolved brain; one that requires extensive stimulation and purpose to be something other than a brain dead individual.
That being said, finding a purpose in life in such a short span of time, especially if you are my age would not only be doubtful but highly likely to be ill-conceived. Cross that out. Focus on the other part instead: Stimulation (and something other than endless debauchery). The engagement of ones mind such that every connection, every neural pathway is engaged and strengthened... But how does one achieve constant stimulation that reaches even the most shrouded and obscure reaches of our minds?
Well, in my opinion, leading a purposeful way of life seems like a good start. That, though, is not to be confused with a life of extreme-altruism as some may falsely assume, you're not Oliver Queen or some humanoid Arceus. Such "purpose" varies between individuals, it speaks to you, representing you, your passions, and in my opinion, who you would want to be if you had a limitless amount of energy everyday.
Let's say your passion lies in music, very well, then go for it, take every step you feel is required such that 5; 10 years down the road, you'd have achieved what you wanted your life to be. Confucius once said, "Make the most of everyday" (He didn't say that, but I'm sure there a Chinese saying that means that). The problem with such a dynamic lifestyle however, is its sustainability. Like what they say, "Its hard to score a goal when you can't even see the post." (Or, something like that, I'm sure there's some Chinese saying that means that.) It's easy to lose focus; to fall into the spiral of a passive lifestyle where your neural pathways go limp and zombified.
Recently... Okay, not so recently, a realization hit me while I was doing nothing in life. I am in that spiral. Though not in that stereotypical highly repetitive lifestyle where one does the same thing everyday, every week for me is generally the same. Serve the nation, rush for bookout, spend the weekend comforting myself, rinse and repeat. Slowly my neural network diminishes, situational awareness drops, cognitive ability fails, attention span truncated and self-control, virtually non-existent. And if you think I may be over-dramatizing things, just note that I've been writing this post over a span of 10 weeks.
I want to become a doctor. I want to learn to drive. I want to master the guitar. I want to buy a house, before I hit 25. But all my will and drive to accomplish such things, are simply thwarted by my lack of self-control, my pity for thyself and all in all my superior procrastination skills. Well actually, now that I think of it, add in the illusion that everything will be better than what my cognitive mind expects.
Break the cycle. I have exactly 2 months until I finish ATEC, and a month after that when I finish my last overseas trip that marks the end of my busy period in NS. That, would be my dateline. The dateline where I start taking steps toward my goals and away from the self-rendered stand-still where I was ever since NS started. I'm a big boy now, and what I'm doing right now, is not sustainable for the future. The spiral is gonna consume me, destroy me, engulf me in nothing but sorrow till the end of all days. (Yes, that is a little over-dramatizing. But if I may, play End of All Days by 30 Seconds to Mars right now and read that again...I know, right.) So, with all the bullshit being said, here goes my resolution, that the last 8 months of NS would be nothing but strong determination to fulfill my goals and claw my way out of this spiral.
And should I decide to let this comfortable stale ground suck me in instead; God find me the Ark of Covenant for the pace of this vast dog-eat-dog world, I heard, is nothing but unforgiving.
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